News Release

Reminder: Big Thicket Hunting Permits Available August 29, 2025

NPS Photo / Scott Sharaga

News Release Date: August 22, 2025

Contact: Megan Urban, 409-951-6700

KOUNTZE, Texas – Don’t forget that Big Thicket National Preserve will start issuing this season’s free 2025/2026 hunting permits on Friday, August 29. Permits will be available first-come, first-served until the end of hunting season on February 28, 2026. Hunters are reminded that not all permits get issued within the first day, and they can still get their desired hunting unit even on Labor Day weekend.
 
Permits will be issued at the preserve visitor center from 9 am until 5 pm daily. The visitor center is located 7 miles north of Kountze at the intersection of US 69/287 and FM 420 at 6102 FM 420.

Things to Know Before Hunting Season

• Late/Missing Harvest Reports: If you returned your harvest report after April 1 or did not return it at all, you will not be able to get a hunting permit until Friday, September 26.
• Everyone who hunts in Big Thicket National Preserve must have a Big Thicket hunting permit and Texas hunting license.
• You must show both your current Texas hunting license and current driver’s license or state-issued ID to get a Big Thicket hunting permit.
• You must apply in-person and may only hunt in one area. Parents and legal guardians may pick up permits for their children 15 and under.
• Return your harvest report on time: The deadline for returning hunter harvest reports after the 2025/2026 season is April 1, 2026.
  • If you return your harvest report AFTER April 1, you will not be able to get a hunting permit until the day before the start of 2026/2027 hunting season (late September or early October).
  • If you do not return your harvest report at all, you will receive a 1-year ban and will not receive a hunting permit the following season.

Visit our hunting page for more information, including maps, last season's harvest numbers, and regulations.

-NPS-

 
Big Thicket National Preserve is in Southeast Texas, near the city of Beaumont and 75 miles northeast of Houston. The preserve consists of nine land units and six water corridors encompassing more than 113,000 acres. The Big Thicket, often referred to as a “biological crossroads,” is a transition zone between four distinct vegetation types – the moist eastern hardwood forest, the southwestern desert, the southeastern swamp, and the central prairies. Species from all these different vegetation types come together in the thicket, exhibiting a variety of vegetation and wildlife that has received global interest.

Hunting Information

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  Join the Hunt

  Hunting

  Find out how to get a free hunting permit for Big Thicket National Preserve.

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  Know the Rules

  Hunting Regulations

  Get familiar with Big Thicket's hunting regulations before your hunting trip.

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  Dates for Each Species

  Hunting Seasons

  Get the dates for deer, hog, squirrel, rabbit, and waterfowl seasons in Big Thicket National Preserve.

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  Last Season's Stats

  Hunting Harvest Data

  See what was harvested last season in Big Thicket.